It's us - not politicians or rich people - who create jobs and drive economy

Independent.ie

When Ibec warns that voting Left would lead to a period of political instability that would hurt the economy, it's easy to understand cynicism from the Left-wing parties. Someone should remind Ibec that it was the people at the commanding heights of Irish business who ruined the economy last time.

When Ibec warns that voting Left would lead to a period of political instability that would hurt the economy, it's easy to understand cynicism from the Left-wing parties. Someone should remind Ibec that it was the people at the commanding heights of Irish business who ruined the economy last time.

The Irish boom/bust/bailout crisis was caused by incompetence and some of it by those who paid the heftiest subscriptions to Ibec. Unlike Greece, Ireland's woes were not a result of Leftie-inspired government spending too much. Ireland's disaster was caused by people who agitated for lower taxes, lower regulation, lower government spending, and spoke the meritocratic language of business while behaving like looters who happened to play golf.

However, acknowledging this fact doesn't mean Ibec is wrong this time. Two very different things can be right at the same time. The business lobby is warning that a hung Dáil might be bad for business and that is - at a stretch - right.

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